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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tube — a container
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — a hat
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cap — a lid
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — the underground
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com